The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
There are many known devices for performing medical procedures within human patients. One of the most commonly utilized medical instruments are medical scopes which come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and medical uses. One such example includes a sheathed catheter which is typically introduced into a patients' body via an incision, and includes an elongated generally hollow flexible member which can be physically guided to a specific portion of the patients' body by a doctor.
The field of gastroenterology also utilizes medical scopes to perform medical imaging, diagnostics and procedures within the intestines and other related areas of a patient. One typical device used in this field is the colonoscope or endoscope, which includes a head that is disposed at a distal end of an elongated flexible/semi-flexible member. The head is inserted into the large intestine of a patient through the rectum and is moved forward through the colon via a manual pushing force.
In this regard, the head of the scope may be equipped with any number of different devices used for diagnostic or therapeutic treatments. For example, a fiber optic and/or video imaging device may be used diagnostically by a doctor for viewing the interior of the large intestine to allow visual inspection for polyps or other malformations of the intestinal wall. The head may also carry a therapeutic tool, such as a remotely controlled cauterizing loop mechanism which is capable of removing, a polyp from the mucosa of the large intestine.
In either instance, the elongated flexible or semi-flexible member of the scope typically has a hollow interior, which is in communication with an interior chamber of the scope head. The head holds the therapeutic or diagnostic device. Thus in the case of a video imaging device, the video lens and a light source may be contained in the chamber of the head and can include one or more cables that can be enclosed within the flexible elongated member. At the end of the flexible elongated member opposite the head, an eyepiece, video screen or other such instrument may be disposed for viewing the interior of the large intestine through the camera lens. Further, a control device may be disposed at the end for manually manipulating the therapeutic or diagnostic device.
In accordance with the conventional art, the elongated member of the medical scope is relatively stiff so that it may effectively push the head forward through the large intestine. Since the large intestine is not straight, but rather has a number of turns to it, it has been difficult to provide a scope which has both the stiffness necessary for pushing the head forward through the large intestine, and the flexibility to maneuver the head around the various curves of the large intestine. In this regard, it is not uncommon for traditional colonoscopes to bend into what are known as an alpha loop, N-loop and/or reverse alpha loop during the procedure. These loops in the colonoscope usually occur in the sigmoid colon, and cause great discomfort to the patient as the colonoscope is advanced further into the patient.
Moreover, in some instances, it becomes necessary to physically manipulate the position of the patient in order to aid the advancement of the scope. Such manipulation is uncomfortable to the patient, and is particularly difficult for the medical staff in instances, for example, where the patient is unconscious or heavily sedated and unable to assist with proper movement of their body.
As such, there are prior art documents which provide specialty scopes having magnetic elements disposed along the distal end which allow doctors to guide a medical scope through the patients' body with increased precision utilizing an outside magnet. One such example includes U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0154259, to DeMarco, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In this regard, each of these methods requires the use of a specialty scope that is purpose built to perform specific medical procedures and to house the magnets. As such, each of these known specialty instruments are exceedingly expensive, and are not adaptable for use with existing hospital or physician equipment. Moreover, owing to the embedded magnetic elements, it can be exceedingly difficult to ensure the device has been effectively sterilized after each use.
Accordingly, the need exists for a magnetic scope attachment device and system which can function to secure one or more expandable and removable magnetic elements onto an existing medical scope, so as to impart magnetic guidance functionality onto the same. It would also be beneficial to provide the system in a cost effective manner that would allow the expandable magnetic elements to be discarded after each use, so as to alleviate expenses involved with sterilization.